The word "echelon" has a number of meanings. A common usage of echelon is: any unit or group acting in a disciplined or organized manner. This Latin word originally referred to a combat formation utilized during the Roman empire. Another meaning is: one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity; "status" or achievement to a level of worthiness, reputation, achievement. There is an implication of stratification and position when using this term, as in "they are in the upper/lower echelon".

One strategy in war and peace time for rising to the upper "echelons" is to have control of information and communications. Whatever the battlefield, where there is vying for power there is a need for useful information about the terrain, human domain and capacities of the adversary and/or other players/competitors. Intercepting inside information, intel, from military, corporate, legal, political or criminal channels of communication-gives whomever has the most comprehensive credible data and accurate analysts the edge-the advantage-in any negotiation, investigation, movement and/or mission.

The use of information culled from numerous and diverse sources is a science and and art in itself. Innovation and IT sophistication in scanning and capturing data has grown at an exponential rate. Every day we’re creating 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. 90% of today’s digital data was created in the last two years, according to IBM. Data is measured in bytes which are the basic physical unit of information used in computing and digital communications.Most people are still getting used to "gigabytes", yet storage units have moved beyond to Yottabytes = (equal to) to one septillion or 10 (24th power) and Gegobytes =(equal to) to 10 (30th power).

Human beings cannot handle this much interface with data simultaneously, therefore they are relying more and more on artificial intelligence (AI) programmed to sift, sort and analyze gegobytes. However, the programs and algorithyms for AI are still input by human beings with all the contradictions and errors humans can and do make. AI and "Deep Learning" as well as what is labeled "Machine Learning", are still structured on the scaffolding of our remarkable human brain and neurological systems. Below is a more specific outline for what AI and Deep Learning are capable of at present.

Artificial Intelligence When a system, or more specifically a computer program, mimics or simulates the human decision-making process and performs tasks somewhat the way a human being can do, this is called Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI systems are virtually divided into two categories - General and Narrow AI. General AI systems have the major capabilities of human intelligence, such as understanding languages, recognizing objects, shapes and sounds, learning, planning and solving problems to some extent. Narrow AI systems have some of our human intelligence features and these are developed and defined as required.

Deep Learning is one of the many ways 'Machine Learning' can be implemented. Deep Learning algorithms use similar structures and functionality of the human brain. It consists of nodes or neurons like a human brain which are connected to each other for communication and information storage. This is called an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) system. It has separate layers for learning each skill and these layers create a depth in the system which is different from other machine learning systems. This system deploys a machine 'vision framework' which relies on what is called Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). These CNNs can be made task specific-for example: object recognition, location(s), buying patterns, relationships, and then "linked" to data sets which spawn other potential CNNs. The results can be utilized for classification and predictive analysis such as demographic estimates, voting and spending habits, health care needs, and/or possible security issues. www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/11/27/1700035114

What is done with all the data gathered? ​It is significant to point out that major tech social media/social engineering companies such as Google, Twitter, Facebook, You tube are already employing AI, CNNs and Deep Learning since they are continually refining and upgrading their capabilities. Search "Operation Dragonfly" and "Skynet" by Google whistleblower scientists for more on these programs, manipulations and their nefarious uses presently in play in China and North Korea. (see links below) For those of you who have not seen the Terminator movie series...it is not so much science fiction anymore as predictive programming. The name for Google's "Skynet" is a reference to these films.

ECHELON was created over 40 years ago as a pulsing signals intelligence programby the NSA, - an outgrowth of a top secret UK/USA program code named SHAMROCK. In 1975, the name was changed to ECHELON and is a continuing partnership between the United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the United States of America's National Security Agency (NSA). ECHELON has expanded to include 14 additional countries security and military intelligence agencies. (see map below) Even naming this program ECHELON is a clue to the long term agenda for these surveillance infrastructures across the planet and into space. Who is watching us? Who is watching the watchers? Who will be the "upper echelon" and who will be in control? All populations on our planet will be affected.

According to the Snowden leaks, the U.S. operated ECHELON stations exist in countries outside the Five Eyes [US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand], and include Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Belgium, Italy, Sweden Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Thailand. In addition, stations operated by GCHQ and Australian intelligence exist in Cyprus, Kenya, and Oman. All the information collected globally is processed and sent to NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, USA where it is filtered before the agency decides what it feels comfortable sharing with the other nations involved in the ECHELON programs. www.gaia.com/lp/content/oldest-conspiracies-proven-true-project-echelon/

ECHELON collects information through an extensive system of radio antennae and satellites that monitor satellite communications and sniffer devices collecting Internet communications from data packets. It employs underwater devices to tap into transcontinental fiber optic phone cables. Echelon gathers huge volumes of data indiscriminately, and then filters out "useful information" through artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The system involves and includes voice recognition, language translation and keyword searching, to select messages to study in their entirety. searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Echelon

Since the ECHELON system was extended to cover New Zealand in the late 1980s, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) Waihopai and Tangimoana stations—are all part of the British, Canadian and Australian stations, surveillance. They can be seen as elements of a United States system and as serving that system. "The GCSB stations provide some information for New Zealand government agencies, but the primary logic of these stations is as parts of the global network." www.nickyhager.info/Secret_Power_Chapter2.pdf​ "For 40 years, New Zealand's largest intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) the nation's equivalent of the US National Security Agency (NSA), had been helping its Westernallies to spy on countries throughout the Pacific region, without the knowledge of the New Zealand public or many of its highest electedofficials."​www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/ECHELON/echelon.html

The largest surveillance infrastructures for ECHELON are located in Blenhall, Bude, Oakley and Menwith Hill, England.Tempora is the code word for a formerly secret computer system that is used by the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). This system is used to buffer most Internet communications extracted from fibre-optic cables, so these can be processed and searched at a later time. It became operational in the autumn of 2011.Tempora uses intercepts on the fibre-optic cables making up the backbone of the Internet to gain access to large amounts of Internet users' personal data, without individual suspicion or targeting. The intercepts are placed in the United Kingdom and overseas, with the knowledge of companies owning either the cables or landing stations or both. The existence of Tempora​ was revealed by Edward Snowden.

GCHQ ECHELON Blenhall site, United Kingdom

The Utah Data Center located at Camp Williams in Bluffdale, Utah, USA which opened in 2014, is led by the NSA as part of it's mission to support the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative. (CNCI). Former NSA intelligence technical director turned whistleblower, William Binney-after 30 years with the agency-reported that this facility not only stores exabytes =1 quintillion bytes, but goes beyond collecting metadata and stores content of communications, recordings of personal emails, phone and skype messages, google searches, online purchases and social media posts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAznfybYhI

Although there is a tremendous push for "globalization" and an engineered movement toward non-sovereignty, the over riding power of surveillance control still resides with the United Kingdom and the United States. Those in power want to maintain their power and have the greatest incentive to continue the system as established. However, they have least incentive to change or to power-share. While politicians and governments are building infrastructure and passing legislation regarding privacy, cyber security and our human rights; corporations are contracting out to the highest bidder, including rival governments (China as a prime example) with no allegiance except to profits.

There are those who do have conscience and the skills and business acumen to build the internet as the "free" platform with no censorship as it was originally created to be. The inventor of the world wide web, Mr. Tim Berners-Lee has founded a new company he calls Solid, and a new range of platforms, apps, storage, search engines and even a decentralized version of the digital assistant Amazon calls "Alexa" (but their version would have the individual controlling all theirdata) and it is called, "Charlie". His start up "Inrupt", wants to empower individuals over corporations and governments again. He is a staunch advocate for freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Tim Berners-Lee is taking a full sabbatical from MIT to launch his ventures. When he invented the world wide web the first time he gave it away for free and it was compromised and exploited very quickly.

Tim Berners-Lee's plans will impact the billion dollar businesses that currently profit off of "control over data and private use". Those businesses and organizations will not give over without a fight. But, when asked about this happening, Berners-Lee says flatly: “We are not talking to Facebook and Google about whether or not to introduce a complete change where all their business models are completely upended overnight. We are not asking their permission.” The rallying cry is spreading and other ambitious and capable technology innovators are already joining him. At MIT Berners-Lee led a team who are designing and buildinga decentralized web platform called ‘Solid’ — which will underlie the Inrupt platform. The Inrupt venture will serve as users’ first access to the new Solid decentralized web. "Backed by Glasswing Ventures, its mission is to turbocharge a broader movement afoot, among developers around the world, to decentralize the web and take back power from the forces that have profited from centralizing it. In other words, it’s game on for Facebook, Google, Amazon."

For those of us who have been fortunate enough to grow up without the "look at me" tech toys, cell phones, digital cameras, social media hooks and the sophisticated surveillance tools monitoring us without us being aware; we may still have an authentic self which has a solid foundation in who we actually are - not who we must present only for show-or conceal due to in an ever increasing conformity/slavery delineated by algorithyms and analysts, as to what is socially, behaviorally and politically "acceptable" and "normal".

We have been warned in science fiction books, short stories, films, by podcasts as well as music lyrics, that this dystopian state of the planet was/is imminent. Ever listen to Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine"? How about the band Police's song, "I'll be Watching You"?

Better still have a listen/look at Praying Medic's latest video entitled: "Welcome to the Police State" Qanon September 30. (click on the purple link below) Be advised-there are actually many ECHELONS/echelons in the world. Choose yours carefully if you can. Try to support the more independent and conscionable web browsers, (Brave, DuckDuckGo, Gibiru) social media and upload sites such as "RealVideo" (instead of youtube) gab.ai (instead of Twitter) and 'Solid'- Inrupt products instead of google. WWG1WGA Where we go one, we go all.